Stocking Question, Electric blue acara

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CNemesis

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Hello Everyone,

I have a 40 gallon tank and I wanted to get 1 Electric Blue Acara and maybe some Blue Rams.
I was wondering if they would get along ok?
If so how many blue rams (2-3)?
Also what else could I stock with them
some suggestions on stocking ideas would be nice.
Thank you everyone
 
It would be helpful to know the pH and GH of your water to help with stocking suggestions. You can buy a test kit or sometimes you can find it on the website for your water supplier.

As far as the Rams and Acara go, I would do one OR the other, not both. The first reason is temperature. German Blue Rams require a relatively high temperature compared to other SA Dwarf Cichlids. The second is keeping different species of Cichlids together always has the potential to be a problem. It's not 100% guaranteed to be a problem, it could be fine, but honestly I wouldn't take the risk.
 
It would be helpful to know the pH and GH of your water to help with stocking suggestions. You can buy a test kit or sometimes you can find it on the website for your water supplier.

As far as the Rams and Acara go, I would do one OR the other, not both. The first reason is temperature. German Blue Rams require a relatively high temperature compared to other SA Dwarf Cichlids. The second is keeping different species of Cichlids together always has the potential to be a problem. It's not 100% guaranteed to be a problem, it could be fine, but honestly I wouldn't take the risk.

Hello
Thank you for responding, That is kind of what I read on line as well. I have not set the tank up yet to get you the PH and GH. I am doing that today, I can post that in a couple days.
If I went with the EBA I could only do one right. 30 gallon per fish plus another 15 to have a second. so at least a 45 tank right? What other tank mates could I have then?
If I did the BR how many should I get? A pair or a group of them? Also other tank mate ideas?
Thank you for your help.
 
The acara will bully the rams and take all the food. As a general rule, only have 1 species of bottom dwelling cichlid per tank.
 
I've never kept that particular species, but you may be able to squeeze a pair into a 40 gallon, I find that most of the time, the size of tank needed with cichlids refers to how much territory they need rather than the actual size of tank, so a Male/Female pair would probably be ok.

As for tank mates, assuming your water is suitable for Acara's, being around pH 7 and low GH, then most peaceful tetras would make a great option. Cardinal Tetras are very beautiful, as well as fish like Diamond Tetras, which are a personal favourite. If you are using fine sand in the tank, then Corydoras sp. also make a good option. If you're looking for something a bit more strange, then Hatchetfish can also work, as long as you have a tight fitting lid, as they can jump.

If you wanted to do GBR, then I would say you could probably get between 3 and 6. Also, keep more females than males, preferably a ratio of 1m-2f. This will help with aggression a bit. With GBR's your options are slightly more limited as, like I said, they require higher temperatures. Cardinal Tetras again are good, as they can tolerate these temperatures, as well as Corydoras Sterbai specifically.

But before you set your heart on anything, make sure you get your water test done, as none of these fish do well in hard water, so if you have it, you may need a different plan. Also, what are the dimensions of your tank?
 
Thank you all for responding, nice to have people giving advice. My tank size is L-30in, W-12in, H-22in, I realize after I posted this I said 40 gallons and my tank is 37. I dont have my heart set on them (EBA and GBR) just really like the look. I will not be mixing the EBA and the GBR thank you for that information. .
Unfortunately at the moment I only have test strips to test the GH and PH. I set the tank up today going to let it cycle and add plants soon. I checked the GH and PH about 6 hours after finishing. My GH was a dark blue so I'm assuming over 180 and my PH is 7 - 7.5 hard to get a good read on the strips. I will test it again in the morning.

I have been looking at other fish if the EBA doesnt work out how about some:
Otocinclus
Neon Tetra
Silvertip Tetra
Albino Cory Catfish
I want a centerpiece fish with something like this as the tankmates. How many of each do you all think plus a centerpiece fish suggestions.

Again thank you all for the responses
 
Thank you all for responding, nice to have people giving advice. My tank size is L-30in, W-12in, H-22in, I realize after I posted this I said 40 gallons and my tank is 37. I dont have my heart set on them (EBA and GBR) just really like the look. I will not be mixing the EBA and the GBR thank you for that information. .
Unfortunately at the moment I only have test strips to test the GH and PH. I set the tank up today going to let it cycle and add plants soon. I checked the GH and PH about 6 hours after finishing. My GH was a dark blue so I'm assuming over 180 and my PH is 7 - 7.5 hard to get a good read on the strips. I will test it again in the morning.

I have been looking at other fish if the EBA doesnt work out how about some:
Otocinclus
Neon Tetra
Silvertip Tetra
Albino Cory Catfish
I want a centerpiece fish with something like this as the tankmates. How many of each do you all think plus a centerpiece fish suggestions.

Again thank you all for the responses
What about 3 angel fish as the centerpiece or less?
thanks again
 
Pretty sure Angels should be kept either singly, or in groups of 5 or more. They're aggressive to conspecifics, so if you only have a few, chances are 2 will pick on the other until it dies. If you can find a mated pair, that could be an exception. By your hardness being 180, I guess this is ppm. Which would make your water moderately hard, so these fish may not be the best suited to your water. Someone with more experience on SA species might want to jump in on this. I suggest that you look at some harder water species too, just in case these fish turn out to be unsuitable.
 

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